Glass for gaseous electric discharge devices



Patented May 14, 1940 GLASS FOR GASEOUS ELECTRIC DISCHARGE DEVICES Hermann Krefft, Berlin-Friedrichshagen, Kurt Larch, Berlin, and Max Thomas, Weisswasser,

Oberlausitz,

Germany, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York No Drawing. Original application December 10,

1935, Serial No. 53,794. Divided and this applieation October 28, 1938, Serial No. 237,520. In Germany December 12, 1934 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a glass ior gaseous electric discharge devices generally and more particularly the invention relates to such devices the gaseous atmosphere of which consists of 'or comprises a'metal vapor, such as mercuryvapor.

In certain types of such devices the energy input and the heat dissipating characteristics of the container are in such relation that the conor the like. When desired, a luminescent inaterial, such as a fluorescent or a phosphorescent material, is associated with the device to transform the ultra-violet light into visible light which complements and. supplements the visible ligh emitted by the discharge in the device. Container glasses which are highly heat resisting, chemically inert with respect to the hot, ionized metal vapor and which transmit ultraviolet light are desirable for use in such devices. Such glasses are not readily attainable, however, and we have observed that glasses which have a high transmission characteristic for ultra-violet rays age rapidly when subjected to such rays 01! shorter wave length. Further these ultra-violet transmitting glasses have too low a softening temperature and are not inert to the hot mercury vapor and to other hot metal vapors which may be present in the lamp, such as caesium, cadmium, or zinc vapor. On the other hand glasses which are inert to such metal vapors and which have a high softening temperature do not transmit enough ultra-violet at the thicknesses required in lamp containers to make the lamp useful as an ultra-violet generator.

The object of the present invention is to provide a glass suitable for use as a container for a gaseous electric discharge device the gaseous atmosphere of which consists of or comprises a metal vapor which container, is capable of withstanding an elevated temperature, has an inner surface which is inert with respect to the metal vapor and which transmits a large percentage oi the ultra-violet rays emitted by the gaseous electric discharge in said. device for a long useful operating life. Still further objects and advantages attaching to thedevice and to its use and operation will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following particular description. 5 In accordance with this object of the invention the container comprises two layers of glass which are fused together and which are of different thickness. The inner layer isthinner than the outer layer and consists of a hard glass which has a high'softening temperature, about 700 C. or

higher, is inert with respect to the hot'metal vapor in the lamp and which transmits the ultraviolet rays of the long and medium wave length but which does nottransmit the ultra-violet rays of short wave length. The thicker outer layer of the container consists of a glass having a lower softening temperature, about 550 to 600 C., which is attacked by the hot metal vapor and which transmits a large percentage of the ultraviolet raysoi long, medium and short wave length I but which rapidly deteriorates under the influence of the ultra-violet rays oi short wave length. A

container of the above structureis useful in connection with gaseous electric discharge devices which operate with elevated container temperatures, such as a temperature of 500 C., and which emit ultra violet light.

A discharge device of this type is one having an elongated tubular container consisting of two glass layers the outer layer being greater in thickness than the inner layer. The container has two thermionic electrodes sealed therein, one at each end thereof, and a starting gas therein, such as argon, neon or krypton, or a mixture of such gases. Said container has a quantity of vaporizable metal therein, such as mercury, the vapor of which emits visible and ultra-violet light during the operation of the device. Preferably the quantity of metal is such that it is wholly vaporized at the operating temperature of the container. The electrodes consist of a metal filament, such as a tungsten filament, wrapped around a bar of electron emitting material, such as a sintered bar of barium, or strontium oxide;

or a mixture of such oxides, and is electron emitting when heated. Said electrodes are heated to an electron emitting, discharge supporting temperature directly by the discharge incident thereat.

The inner glass layer of said container prefertening temperature of about 720 to.-'740 C., trans mits ultra-violet rays of the long and-medium Wave length (280 to 400 millimicrons) in thicknesses of from 0.1 to 0.5 mm. and is chemically inert with respect to the hot, ionized vapor of mercury, caesium, cadmium, or zinc. Initially such a glass transmits the-.-: ultra-violet rays of F short wave length but rapidly loses its trans missibility for such rays.

When desired,-a glass having the followin composition is used as the inner layer: 1

v. 7 Per cent Silica (SiOzL, -i Boric oxide (B203); 1 Alumina (Al2O3)... 25 Magnesium oxide (MgO). 8 Calcium oxide cao). 6 Barium oxide ao); 5 Phosphorous pentoxide (P205) 5 This glass has substantially the same characteristics asthe glass given in the above. example.

The outer glass layer preferably consists of a glass having the following composition:

' Per cent Silica (S102) 74 Boric oxide (B203) 15 Sodium oxide .(NazO) 7 Alumina (Al2Oa) u .14

A glass having the above composition has a softening temperature of about 540 to 560 C.

and transmits ultra-violet rays of long, medium, and short wave length at thicknesses in the order of 0.7 mm. or more.

When desired aglass having the following composition is used as the outer layer:

' Per cent Silica (SiOz) 75.5 Boric oxide (B203) 13.5 Sodium oxide (NazO) 9 I Alumina (AlzO3) 2 This glass has substantially the same characteristics as the glass disclosed above for use as the external layer.

Due to the fact that the inner glass layer does not transmit the ultra-violet rays of short wave age rapidly and remains pervious to the long and medium ultra-violet rays generated by the ..discharge andtransmitted by the inner layer fora long time. The outer layer does not be-.

come brown orblack since it is protected from the-deleteriouschemical effects of the hot, ionized metalvapor by the} inner layer.

ful as an' ultra-violet generator and the ultraviolet light emitted thereby is useful for many purposes as pointed out above. When desired, a

luminescent material is associated with the device gwh-ich,transforms the ultra-violet.lightyinto visibleli'ght v.to' complement and supplementthe spectrum ofthe .visiblelight emitted'by the dep p vice. Such'fluminescent materials as calcium tungstate, or. zinc silicate. are useful for "this pur-j DOSE.

The gaseous electric discharge device 18 usey when desired,. the container isfmounted in: an

length after the device has been operating for a short time the glass of the outer layer does not evacuated,sealed envelope which reduces theheat losses therefrom to increase the efficiency of the device. The luminescent material. is appliedito, v p or incorporated in said envelope, whendesired This application isa division of ounce-pending,

' application Serial Number. 53 794, filed Decem ber 10, 1935.

What we claim as new and-.desireto secure. *0

Letters Patent of the: United StatesisL A glass having the following. composition'zifl Boric'oxide (B203) Alumina (A1203) Phosphorous pentoxide HERMANN' KREFFTJ KURT LARCHE'; MAX THOMAS.

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